Bottle-rinser.



PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

H. G. MILLER.

BOTTLE RINSER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q. M um/Mica 3%, Ma mow, WIZQMM/ f? M PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

H. G. MILLER.

BOTTLE RINSBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED. STATES PATENT ()FFTQE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed March 19, 1904. Serial No. 198,943.

To (all "whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY G. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Rinsers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in bottlecleansingmachines, and particularly to that class of said devices intended torinse and brush the bottles after they have been soaked in a suitablealkaline solution and in which the rinsing and brushing means areautomatically advanced toward and retracted from the bottles; and theinvention consists in certain peculiarities in the construction andarrangement of parts and in certain novel combinations of elements,substantially as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out inthe subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentof my invention, Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partlyin section, of a device embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top planview of the bottle-carrying portion of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is asection on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view of aportion of the apparatus, showing a bottle X in place thereon, therevoluble tip or wheel being shown in elevation and the other parts incentral longitudinal section, the section on which the cap is takenbeing the line 4 4 of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the support 30,and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7and 8 are detail longitudinal sectional views through one of the tubes40 and the parts contained therein and connected therewith, (except therotatable tip, which is shown in elevation,) the line of section of thecap being shown at 7 7, Fig. 6. In Fig. 7 the rinsingstem is shown atthe beginning of its movement into the bottle, and in Fig. 8 said stemis near the end of its movement.

The same reference-numerals designate the same parts in the severalfigures.

In the present device the means for carrying the bottles preferablycomprises a table 21, having its edges formed with a series of openingswhich form bottle-pockets 20 and provided within said pockets withsprings 22 or other suitable devices adapted to clasp the bottles andhold the same firmly in place. Said carrying means also preferablycomprises a series of hollow supporting devices 30, arranged in linewith said pockets 20 and adapted to engage the necks of the bottles andeach having connection with a tube 40, into which the rinsing fluidflows, said tube having means for discharging said fluid against thebottle, which means in the form herein shown consists of a hollowrinsingstem 31, through which the water flows to the interior of thebottle. Said stem is reciprocatorily mounted, so as to be adapted to beprojected into the bottles and retracted from said bottles automaticallyat predetermined places in the travel of the parts. Said supportingdevices are preferably carried by a plate or frame 35. In theconstruction herein shown the pressure of the rinsing fluid is employedto advance the rinsing-stems 31 and brushes into and retract the samefrom the bottles, and th e means by which this is accomplished co1nprises a pair of tubes 40 and 50 for each stem 31, each tube servingalternately for the supply and drainage of the fluid. These tubes admitthe rinsing fluid alternately at opposite ends of the travel of therespective stems 31, (which latter are provided with heads or pistons 32or other suitable means to be acted upon by said fluid,) whereby thefluid entering through one will advance said stem and also flow throughthe stem to the interior of the bottle, and the fluid entering throughthe other tube will retract said stem. The fluid-discharge stems projectinto the respective tubes 40, and for this reason the tubes 50 open intosaid tubes 40, suitably above the bottom of the latter. The rinsingfluid is supplied to the tubes through a receptacle or tank 60, theinterior of which has communication with a suitable source of supply offluid under pressure through the supply pipe 63. The upper wall of thisreceptacle or tank has passages 62, through which the water is admittedalternately to the interiors of the tubes 40 and 50, and said receptacleor tank also has drainage-tubes 61, which when one of said tubes 40 or50 is in communication with said passage 62, will be in communica tionwith the other of said tubes. The open ends or mouths of said passages62 and drainage-tubes are closed by a plate or disk when the same arenot in communication with said tubes 40 and 50. Said plate 70 isprovided with a series of apertures 71, ar ranged in pairs to receivethe ends of the pairs of tubes 40 and 50. In order that the supply ofrinsing fluid to the tubes may be automatically controlled, thebottle-carrying portion of the rinser (comprising the tubes 40, plate 70, and bottle-holding devices) and the tank or receptacle 60 are movablerelatively to each other. It will be observed that the movement of themovable portion is in a plane parallel with the other portion instead ofaround or within said other por tion. Said plane is preferablyhorizontal, as shown. It is obviously preferable that the receptacle ortank 60 be stationary and the other parts movable. To this end the table21, plate or frame 35, and plate 70 are fixed to a rotatable shaft 100,having suitable bearings and provided with a bevel gearwheel 101, whichintermeshes with a suitably-driven bevel-pinion 102, by which saidshaft, with the parts attached thereto, is slowly rotated in ahorizontal plane.

The operation of the device thus far described is as follows: Theattendant stationed at a suitable place fills with bottles to becleansed the bottle recesses or pockets as they are successivelypresented to him in the rotation of the table 21. These bottles areinserted neck downward, and their mouths rest upon therespective'supports 30. At this place in the rotation of the parts therinsingstems 31 and the parts attached thereto are in retractedposition. In the rotation of the mechanism from this supply-station thetubes 40 and are brought into communication with the water-inlet passage62 and drainage-passage 61, respectively, whereby the rinsing fluidenters the bottom of the tube 40 and flows through the rinsingstem 31 insaid tube and into the bottle, said fluid also acting to advance saidstem into said bottle, as above explained. In this position of the partsthe water drains back through the tube 50 and passage 61. Furtherrotation of the parts carries said tube 40 out of communication withsaid supply-passage 62 and into communication with adrainage-passage 61and also carries the tube 50 into communication with a supply-passage62, thus causing the water to enter the upper portion of said tube 40through said tube 50 and to act to retract said rinsing-stem 31, duringwhich movement the drainage is through the lower portion of said tube 40and the drainage-passage 61. Meanwhile in the movement of the tubes fromone passage to another said passages are closed by imperforate portionsof the disk or plate 70. The parts are sorelated that the bottle whichhas traversed from the supply-station back to said supplystation reachesthe latter in a cleansed condition and with the cleansing mechanismretracted therefrom, so that said bottle may be readily removed and itsplace supplied by another to be cleansed.

It is very advantageous to cause the rins' ing fluid to be dischargedagainst the wall of the bottle in a revolving spray, and to this endthere is mounted upon the upper endgof each rinsing-stem 31 a cap 80,upon which is rotatably mounted a spirally-grooved revoluble tip orwheel 90, the passages of which have communication with the interior ofsaid stem through a series of openings 81in the top of said cap 80, asshown in Fig. 6, whereby the water flowing through the rinsing-stem willissue from said openings 81 and act upon the vanes 91 (or walls of thespiralgrooves) of the wheel, thus rapidly rotating said tip or wheel andcausing it to distribute the water in a revolving spray, which dashesagainst the sides of the bottle. It is also advantageous to provide thedevice with means for brushing the bottle while the same is being rinsedand to cause said brushing means to rotate in its operation, and to thisend a brush 92 is fixed at its lower end to said tip or wheel 90, so asto partake of the movements thereof. This brush preferably comprises abody 93, secured to the upper surface of the tip or wheel by a screw 94and having flexible wings 95, which are adapted to yield and be movedtoward each other in the insertion and removal of the brush through theneck of the bottle and to open out automatically when they pass saidneck, so as to engage the surface of the body of the bottle. It ispreferably made of rubber.

The advantages of the present device will be readily understood from theabove description, and it will be noted that the inven tion is notrestricted to the detail construction herein shown and described, whichis merely selected to exemplify what I consider to be the bestembodiment of the invention.

Having thus described the invention,what I believe to be new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A bottle-cleansing mechanism comprising an apertured table for thereception of the bottles and a fluid-supply tank or receptacle movablethe one relatively to the other, hollow rinsing-stems, and meanscontrolled by the movement of the movable part for automaticallyestablishing and closing communication of said stems with thefluid-supply tank or receptacle at predetermined places in the travel ofsaid movable part.

2. A bottle-cleansing mechanism comprising an apertured table for thereception of the bottles and a fluid-supply tank or receptacle movablethe one relatively to the other, hollow rinsing-stems movable toward andfrom said table, and means controlled by the relative movement of saidtable and tank or receptacle for automatically establishing and closingcommunication of the interiors of said stems with the fluid-supply tankand for advancing and retracting said stems, at predetermined places inthe travel of said movable part.

3. A bottle-cleansing mechanism comprising an apertured table for thereception of the bottles, hollow reciprocatory rinsingstems, tubes inwhich said stems are mounted to reciprocate and through which the sameare supplied with rinsing fluid, and a receptacle or tank for therinsing fluid having communication with a source of supply of said fluidunder pressure and provided with a passage for the inlet of said fluidto said tubes, said tubes and tank or receptacle being movable the onerelatively to the other to automatically establish communication betweenthe same at predetermined places in the movement of the movable part.

4. A bottle-cleansing mechanism comprising an apertured table for thereception of the bottles, hollow reciprocatory rinsingstems, tubesin'which said stems are mounted to reciprocate, each of said tubeshaving an inlet for the rinsing fluid at its bottom and a separate inletabove its bottom and each tube provided with a tube leading to the upperinlet, a tank or receptacle having communication with a supply ofrinsing fluid under pressure and provided with a passage for the inletof said fluid to said tubes and with a passage for the drainage of saidfluid therefrom, said tubes and tank or receptacle being movable the onerelatively to the other to throw each tube successively intocommunication with said supply and drainage passa es.

5. bottle-cleansing mechanism,compris ing bottle-holding means and afluid-supply tank movable the one relatively to the other, hollowrinsing-stems provided with sprayingtips turned by the pressure ofrinsing fluid issuing from said stems, and means controlled by themovement of said movable part for automatically establishing and closingcommunication of said stems with the fluid-supply tank or receptacle atpredetermined places in the travel of said movable art. p 6. Abottle-cleansing mechanism,comprising bottle-holding means and afluid-supply tank movable the one relatively to the other, hollowrinsing-stems provided with tips or wheels turned by the pressure ofrinsing fluid issuing from said stems, means controlled by the movementof said movable part for automatically establishing and closingcommunication of said stems with the fluid-supply receptacle atpredetermined places in the travel of said movable part, and brushingmeans secured to said tips or wheels.

7. A bottle-cleansing mechanism,comprising a rotative table havingapertures for the reception of the bottles, rinsing-stems movable withsaid table, a stationary supply means for the rinsing fluid and meansmovable with said table for automatically establishing and cutting offcommunication of said stems with said supply means at predeterminedplaces in the travel of the parts.

8. A bottle-cleansing mechanism,comprising a rotative table havingapertures for the reception of the bottles, rinsing-stems movable withsaid table and also movable toward and from the same, a stationarysupply means for the rinsing fluid and means movable with said table forautomatically establishing and cutting off communication of said stemswith said supply means at predetermined places in the travel of theparts.

9. A bottle-cleansing mechanism,comprising a rotative table havingapertures for the reception of the bottles, tubes movable with saidtable, rinsing stems reciprocatorily mounted in said tubes, a stationarysupply means for the rinsing fluid, having a passage through which itcommunicates with said tube and means for closing said passage atpredetermined places in the travel of the parts.

10. A bottle-cleansing mechanism, comprising a rotative table havingapertures for the reception of the bottles, a plurality of tubes movablewith said table, rinsing-stems reciprocatorily mounted in said tubes, atube connected with each of the first-mentioned tubes above the bottomof the same, a stationary supply means for the rinsing fluid havingsupply and drainage passages with which each of said tubes alternatelycommu nicates, and means for closing said passages when said tubes arenot in communication therewith.

11. A bottle-cleansing mechanism, comprising a rotative table havingapertures to receive the bottles, a plate or frame rotative with'saidtable and provided with supports to engage the bottle-necks, tubesprojecting therefrom, rinsing-stems reciprocatorily mounted in saidtubes, an apertured plate or disk arranged at the lower ends of saidtubes and mounted to rotate therewith, and a stationary supply means forthe rinsing fluid having a passage to communicate with said tubes.

12. A bottle-cleansing mechanism, comprising a rotative table havingapertures to receive the bottles, a plate or frame rotative with saidtable and provided with supports to engage the bottle-necks, a plate ordisk also partakin of the rotative movement imparted to said table andplate or frame, a series of pairs of tubes arranged between said platesand carried thereby, one tube of each of said pairs opening into theother tube thereof above the bottom of the same, a reciprocatoryrinsing-stem in one tube of each of said pairs, and a stationary supplymeans for the rinsing fluid having supply and drainage passages withwhich said tubes alternately communicate at predetermined places in thetravel of the parts.

13/ Abottle-cleansingmeans, comprising a bottle holding device, arinsingstem provided with a revolubly-mounted spraying-tip havingspirally-arranged passages, and means through which the rinsing fluid issupplied to said tip.

14;. A bottle-cleansing means, comprising a bottle-holding device, arinsing-stem having a cap provided with exit-apertures, a spraying-tiprevolubly mounted on said cap and having spirally-arranged passages, andmeans through which the rinsing fluid is supplied to said stem.

15. Abottle-cleansing means, comprisinga rinsing-stem provided with aspraying tip or wheel revolubly mounted thereon, brushing means securedto said tip or wheel, and means by which said tip or wheel is revolvedby the pressure of the rinsing fluid.

16. Abottle-cleansing means, comprising a rinsing-stem having a capprovided with exitapertures, a spraying tip or wheel revolubly mountedon said cap and having spirally-arranged passages or vanes, brushingmeans secured to said tip or wheel, and means for supplying the rinsingfluid to said stem.

17. Abottle-cleansing means, comprising a reciprocatory rinsing-stemhaving a revoluble spraying tip or wheel and means by which the pressureof the rinsing fluid reciprocates said stem and turns said tip or wheel.

18. Abottle-cleansing means, comprising a reciprocatory rinsing-stemhavin a revoluble spraying tip or wheel provided with a brushing meanspartaking of the movements thereof, and means by which the pressure ofthe rinsing fluid reciprocates said stem and turns said wheel.

19. Abottle-cleansing means, comprising a rinsing-stem, a revolublebrushing means connected therewith, and means 0 erated by the pressureof the rinsing fluid or turning the brush relatively to said stem.

20. A bottle-cleansing means, comprising a rinsing-stem, a rev olublebrushing means connected therewith and comprising a body having flexiblebrushing members, and means operated by the pressure of the rinsingfluid for turning the brush relatively to said stem.

21. A bottle-cleansing means, comprising a reciprocatory rinsing-stem, arevoluble brushing means connected therewith, and means whereby therinsing fluid reciprocates said stem and turns said brushing means.

22. A bottle-cleansing means, comprising a reciprocatory rinsing-stemhaving a cap provided with exit-apertures, a spraying tip or wheelcarried by said stem and revolubly mounted on said cap, means by whichsaid tip or wheel is turned by the pressure of the rinsing fluid issuingfrom said stem, brushing means secured to said tip or wheel and partaking of the movements thereof, said brushing means comprising a bodyhaving flexible brushing members, means for holding the bottles, andmeans for automatically admitting the rinsing fluid to said stems andfor causing the same to reciprocate at predetermined times.

23. A bottle-cleansing mechanism comprising a shaft, means for rotatingthe same, a table carried by said shaft and having recesses in its edgeto receive the bottles, spring clamping means in said recesses, andmeans for automatically supplying rinsing fluid to the interiors of thebottles at predetermined places in the travel thereof with said table.

24. A bottle-rinser, comprising a bottlecarrying portion and afluid-supply tank or receptacle having an aperture for the egress of thefluid, said parts being relatively movable in parallel planes, and saidbottle-carrying portion comprising a bottle-holder, a tube having meansfor discharging the rinsing fluid against the bottle and a plate throughwhich the supply of fluid to said tube is controlled, said plate havingan aperture and a solid portion which alternately register with theaperture in said tank or receptacle.

25. A bottle-rinser, comprising a bottlecarrying portion and afluid-supply tank or receptacle having an aperture for the egress of thefluid, said parts being relatively movable in parallel planes, and saidbottle-carrying portion comprising a bottle-holder, a tube having meansfor discharging the rinsing fluid against the bottle and means forautomatically establishing and closing communication of the interior ofsaid tube with the interior of said tank or receptacle at predeterminedplace in the movement of the movable part.

26. A bottle-rinser, comprising a bottlecarrying portion and afluid-supply tank or receptacle, said parts being relatively movable inparallel planes, and said bottle-carrying portion comprising abottle-holder, a tube provided with a re'ciprocatory rinsingstem, havinga head, and means for automatically establishing and closing communication of the interior of said tube, alternately at opposite sides ofsaid head, with the interior of said tank or receptacle at predeterminedplaces in the movement of said movable part.

Witness my hand, this 28th day of February, 1904, at the city ofCleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio.

HENRY G. MILLER. Witnesses:

L. F. GRISWOLD, CHARLES H. WEIR.

